Review: IMDB iPhone App

written by: gbastian•edited by: Leigh A. Zaykoski•updated: 12/31/2009

Movie and TV buffs already know of the power of the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). Now, there is a new iPhone application that allows you to access IMDB from your iPhone. It's called the IMDB iPhone app, and it's a powerful tool for looking up movies and actors quickly and easily.

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IMDB for iPhone: Introduction

Movie and TV buffs already know of the power Of the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). This simple little website gives you the ability to look up information about almost every movie, television show, actor, or actress you can think of, at the click of a mouse. Now, there is a new iPhone application that allows you to access IMDB from your iPhone, so you can figure out who that actress is on your screen, without ever leaving the comfort of your couch.

When the iPhone was first released, much was made about its ability to search "the real Internet," meaning that you could access the same pages from your iPhone that you can access your computer, rather than specially designed mobile pages. And it is true that the iPhone is excellent for accessing real, rich webpages. So then, why did we need a specialized app to access the IMDB website? Simply put, the simple clean iPhone-optimized interface makes the already excellent IMDB experience perfect.

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Putting Search Back on Top

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When you access the IMDB website through Safari on your iPhone, you're confronted with an entire page of articles and movie and television news, trailers, box office info, and more. Only at the top of the screen do you find a small search box that gives you access to IMDB's most popular feature: searching the Internet Movie Database. In fact, unless you have a very good finger point, there's going to be some pinching and stretching required to access this all-important feature. By contrast, the simple and uncluttered iPhone interface of the IMDB app puts a full search bar right at the top of the app.

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The Interface

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All information contained in the app features large finger-friendly buttons, which allows you to tap through multiple levels of information quickly. Now you can find out who that actress is, and what other shows or movies she has appeared in, with less resizing and scrolling. This allows you to access information more quickly and easily. That means you can satisfy your curiosity and get back to your show before the commercial ends.

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Featured Information

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In addition to easy access to search, the most popular feature of the Internet Movie Database, the IMDB app also includes single-touch access to movie times, coming attractions, TV schedules, show episode recaps, and other popular features.

Individual search results include all the major information such as cast lists, quotes, filmography, trivia, biographies, and more. If you're looking for more information, there is even a button that will take you directly to IMDB.com for quick and easy access to the full page.This puts the focus of the application on the information you're most likely to need, while still giving you fast access to additional information if you want it.

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IMDB for iPhone: Overall Score

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It may well be true that apps such as IMDB are merely skins for the regular webpage, but they do make information easier to get and faster to find. And even among this class of apps, IMDB stands out among the best. In its current version the app is not only free, but it appears to be ad free. That makes the interface even more uncluttered and welcoming. If you find yourself regularly searching the site from your iPhone, then this application can only be a new favorite addition to your home screen.